Zeta's Lonely Thanksgiving
by BigMoose01
Summary: Zeta is unable to visit her family for Thanksgiving, so Leah, Shimmer, and Shine decide to invite her to join them for Thanksgiving dinner, but she declines and decides to celebrate by herself (with Nazboo, of course).


One fall day in Zharamay Falls, Leah was with Shimmer and Shine, strolling down the marketplace.

"Today's Thanksgiving Day", Shimmer said, "I can't wait for all the good food."

"Me neither", Shine said, "there's the turkey, the mashed potatoes, and of course, the pumpkin pie."

"Oh yeah", Leah said, "and I'm glad I get to spend it with you two."

"It's lucky your parents had to go away for the day", Shimmer said, "that left you free to spend the day with us."

"Yeah", Leah said, "I'm a little bummed out that I can't celebrate Thanksgiving with them, but celebrating it with you two and your parents is just as good."

"Thanks", Shimmer said, "and Mom and Dad are looking forward to seeing you again."

As the three friends walked along, they noticed Zeta at a booth with Nazboo, who was carrying bags full of stuff.

"Hi, Zeta", Leah said, "what are you doing?"

"Just getting some stuff for Thanksgiving dinner", Zeta said, "why do you want to know?"

"I was just curious", Leah said.

"Is your family coming over for Thanksgiving", Shine asked.

"No", Zeta said, "it's just me and Nazboo."

Leah and the two genies were surprised to hear this.

"Your family's not coming over", Shimmer asked.

"That's right", Zeta said, "they don't have the money to come visit me and vice versa."

"But what about your sister we met", Leah asked.

"Gigi", Zeta asked, "she's visiting them."

"Oh", Leah said, "well, you can have dinner with us if you want."

"Yeah", Shine said, "I'm sure Mom and Dad can make room at the table for you."

"Thanks, but no thanks", Zeta said, "I'd rather have Thanksgiving by myself than with the likes of you anyways."

"I see", Leah said, "well, if you change your mind, don't hesitate to find us."

"Don't count on it", Zeta said, "come on, Nazboo."

Zeta and Nazboo walked away.

"I was just trying to be friendly", Leah said, "no one should be alone on a traditional holiday like Thanksgiving."

"And that's the right thing to do", Shimmer said.

"Besides, maybe she'll change her mind", Shine said.

"I hope so", Leah said, "sure, she's kind of mean, but even mean people need somewhere to go during this time of year."

Zeta and Nazboo soon arrived at their lair and went inside.

"Eat dinner with those genies", Zeta asked, "joke of the year."

Nazboo set the bags on the counter, and Zeta put on a chef's hat and apron.

"I can have Thanksgiving dinner without them", Zeta said, "I'll make a turkey and pumpkin pie, and then you and I can eat together, Nazboo."

"Mmm", Nazboo said, "yummy!"

"Now", Zeta said, "let's begin."

Zeta looked at her cookbook.

"Okay", Zeta said, "step one, remove the neck and giblets bag."

Zeta reached into the turkey and pulled out the neck and giblets bag.

"Step two", Zeta said, "stuff the turkey with salt and pepper, apple, lemon, and herbs."

Zeta stuffed the mentioned ingredients into the turkey.

"There we go", Zeta said, "step three, tuck the wings under the turkey and set it on the roasting rack."

Zeta tucked the wings under the turkey and set it on the roasting rack.

"Step four", Zeta said, "loosen and lift the skin under the breasts and smooth some tablespoons of herb butter underneath."

Zeta lifted the skin of the turkey and smoothed some herb butter underneath it.

"Step five", Zeta said, "slather the rest of the herb butter on the turkey."

Zeta used a basting brush to cover the turkey in herb butter.

"And now for step six", Zeta said, "bake the turkey."

Zeta put the turkey in the oven.

"There we go", Zeta said, "now to make the pumpkin pie."

Meanwhile, Leah, Shimmer, and Shine were helping the latter two's parents set up for thanksgiving.

"This is going to be the best Thanksgiving dinner ever", Shimmer said.

"Yeah", Shine said, "are you excited, Leah?"

"Yeah, I guess", Leah said.

Shimmer and Shine noticed that something was bothering Leah.

"Hey", Shimmer said, "what's up, Leah?"

"Oh, nothing", Leah said, "I was just thinking about Zeta having Thanksgiving alone."

"She's not alone", Shine said, "she's got Nazboo."

"Well, besides him", Leah said, "I just can't stop thinking about it."

"I see", Shimmer said, "maybe we could go and check on her."

"Good idea", Shine said, "what do you say to that, Leah?"

"Sounds good to me", Leah said.

"Great", Shimmer said, "let's go!"

The three girls headed to the door.

"Hey Mom, Dad, we're going out for a little bit", Shimmer said, "we won't be too long."

"I hope not", Mrs. Aljunni said, "dinner will be ready soon."

"Don't worry", Shine said, "we'll be back before you can say 'turkey's done'."

Leah, Shimmer, and Shine rode on the magic carpet to Zeta's lair and went inside, where they found her working on a pumpkin pie.

"Let's see", Zeta said, "pumpkin, condensed milk, eggs..."

"Hi, Zeta", Leah said.

Leah's greeting made Zeta jump and prompted her to turn around.

"What are you three doing here", Zeta asked.

"We just wanted to see how you were doing", Shine said.

"I'm doing fine, thank you very much", Zeta said, "I'm making Thanksgiving dinner no problem."

Then, Shimmer sniffed the air.

"Do you smell that", Shimmer asked.

Shine and Leah proceeded to sniff the air.

"Yes, I do", Shine said.

"Smells like something's burning", Leah said.

Zeta turned around and saw that her turkey was burning.

"Oh no", Zeta said, "my turkey!"

Zeta rushed over to the oven, knocking her bowl of pumpkin pie mix off the counter in the process, put on oven mitts, and pulled out her turkey, which was burnt to a crisp.

"Look at this", Zeta said, "how am I supposed to eat a burnt turkey for Thanksgiving?"

Then, she noticed her spilled bowl of pumpkin pie mix.

"Oh no", Zeta said, "not the pie too."

"There's turkey and pie at our house", Shimmer said.

"Yeah", Leah said, "we'd love to have you."

"I told you, I'm not having dinner with you three", Zeta said.

"But you don't have a dinner", Shimmer said.

"I'll think of something else", Zeta said, "now get out!"

"Alright, alright", Leah said, "come on, you two."

Leah, Shimmer, and Shine began to leave, when Nazboo walked over to them.

"Can I come", Nazboo asked, "I'm starving."

"Sure", Shimmer said, "there's always room for one more at the Aljunni dinner table."

Zeta was angry about Nazboo joining the girls.

"Traitor", Zeta said.

Leah, Shimmer, Shine, and Nazboo left, and Zeta was all by herself.

"Well, so much for the traditional Thanksgiving dinner", Zeta said, "I'll have to make something else."

A little while later, Zeta was eating a Thanksgiving dinner consisting of two pieces of buttered toast, pretzel sticks, popcorn, and jelly beans.

"This may be unconventional, but it'll have to do", Zeta said.

As Zeta began eating, she decided to begin talking.

"So", Zeta said, "did you watch the final race?"

Zeta walked to the right side of the table and put her hair over her upper lip to resemble a mustache and spoke in a deep voice.

"Yeah", Zeta said, "it was plain awful."

Zeta sat back down in her seat.

"I agree", Zeta said, "and the other two final races were bad too."

Zeta went to the left side of the table and held her hair up like pigtails and spoke in a high-pitched voice.

"What was so bad about them", Zeta asked.

Zeta sat back down in her seat.

"Well, I don't like how any of them turned out", Zeta said, "one didn't deserve his championship, one is the same champion as last year, and I don't like the last one."

Zeta went back to playing her first character.

"Why don't you think the first one deserved his championship", Zeta asked.

Zeta sat back down in her seat.

"Because he didn't win a single race this season", Zeta said, "if you're going to be a champion, you should have at least one win to back it up."

Zeta went back to playing her second character.

"But he worked hard all season, and managed to make it that far", Zeta said, "he did deserve it."

Zeta sat back down in her seat.

"I don't care", Zeta said, "you guys are the worst conversationalists ever!"

At that moment, Zeta began to realize what was happening.

"Oh, who am I kidding", Zeta asked, "I'm lonely."

Zeta fiddled around with her food, and signed sadly.

"Maybe I should've accepted those genies' dinner invitation", Zeta said.

Then, she thought of something.

"And maybe I still can", Zeta said.

Zeta got onto her scooter and rode off to find Leah, Shimmer, and Shine.

"I hope I'm not too late", Zeta said.

At the Aljunni residence, everyone was enjoying Thanksgiving dinner.

"This is so delicious", Shimmer said.

"I agree", Shine said, "could someone passed the stuffing, please?"

"Here you go", Nazboo said.

Nazboo handed Shine the stuffing.

"This is the best Thanksgiving dinner I've ever been to", Leah said.

Then, they heard a knock at the door.

"Who could that be", Dr. Aljunni asked.

"I'll go check", Leah said.

Leah got up from her seat and answered the door, and found Zeta standing there.

"Hi, Zeta", Leah said.

"Hi, Leah", Zeta said, "can I come in?"

Leah turned to Mrs. and Dr. Aljunni.

"Fine by me", Mrs. Aljunni said.

"She's one of my patients", Dr. Aljunni said.

Zeta walked inside and looked at everyone having Thanksgiving dinner.

"You guys look like you're having a good time", Zeta said.

"We sure are", Shimmer said.

"How about you", Shine said, "how's your dinner on your own?"

"About that", Zeta said, "I wanted to apologize for being rude to you girls."

"You did", Leah asked.

"Yes", Zeta said, "I thought having Thanksgiving on my own was a good idea, but after a little argument about the 2019 racing season with man me and little girl me, I realized that maybe holidays like this are better spent with others."

Everyone was confused by what Zeta said.

"Man you and little girl you", Shine asked.

"It's a long story", Zeta said, "anyways, would you still be willing to have me with you for Thanksgiving?"

"Of course", Shimmer said, "we'd love to have another friend join us for Thanksgiving."

Zeta could hardly believe what Shimmer had just said.

"You think I'm your friend", Zeta asked.

"Of course", Shimmer said.

"You may try to take over Zharamay Falls from time to time, but we know that deep down inside, you're not such a bad person", Leah said.

Zeta smiled happily.

"Wow", Zeta said, "that means a lot."

"Don't mention it", Leah said.

Shine pushed up a chair for Zeta.

"There we go", Shine said, "a seat just for you."

"Thanks", Zeta said, "you're all amazing."

Zeta sat down and joined Leah, Nazboo, and the Aljunnis for Thanksgiving dinner.


End file.
